Skating on Thin Ice
by Moon Labyrinth
Summary: Human college AU. Winter rolls around and Jasper decides it's time to rally up her peers for ice hockey and figure skating. When Peridot gets the flyer, she decides it would be a nice change of pace. Other gems/ocs may be included, but the main focus is Jasper and Peridot's relationship. Rated M for future chapters.


A little background info before I start:  
Human AU- Jasper and Peridot have never met before, this is their first year in the college they're attending. They have different majors and live in different dorm buildings. (My girlfriend may be writing a sister story focusing more on their majors and careers but I'm not completely sure yet)  
They're a little ooc, but that comes with human territory- I'm not sure if I'm going to dramatize their personalities as much as they are in canon just yet.  
I think that's about it. Have fun and thanks for reading, reviews are extremely appreciated and encouraged!

* * *

The Computer and Information Sciences dorm building was quiet, as it always was, save for the low hum of the tech constantly being used and worked on. Silence was key as students spent hours coding, breaking apart and reassembling their current beginning-of-the-year projects. This silence was abruptly pierced as an awfully loud thumping came past every door, gracelessly shoving papers under them, crumpling some and leaving them halfway between the room and the hallway. Peridot sat in her dorm, located in the the Data Processing Technicians' hall, one hand on the keyboard and one curled in a fist resting under her chin. Just as she's narrowing her eyes and leaning forward to inspect her code, the thudding approaches her room and routinely stuffs the paper partially under the door. Debating on getting up, she waits until she can no longer feel the floor vibrating, as the noise clambers down the hall. Peridot pursed her lips, grabbing her visor and taking her code with her as she pads lightly towards the door. Interruption aside, she needed to get out of this room anyway, the darkness was starting to give her a migraine. Placing one hand on the handle, she reached down and picked up the crumpled paper, which happened to be a flyer. She flicked her visor on to reboot her code, trekking down to the cafeteria as she read the flyer. In childlike scrawl, large letters atop the paper read, "Feeling Ice-olated?". Peridot rolled her eyes at the horrible attempt for a pun, yet continued to read the rest of the flyer out of pity for whoever was forced to make them. Unsurprisingly, it was a flyer for the winter ice related sports that the entire college offered, namely hockey and skating, which included the first meet dates and times for all teams of hockey, women and men, and competition and recreational figure skating. Peridot stopped walking and shifted her gaze, starting to think.

"Figure skating?" she wondered aloud. She looked back down the hallway towards her room, remembering the darkness and the computer chair, specifically how much it hurt her back to sit hunched over like that. Then looking at her code displayed on her visor, she frowned, clicking it off and sliding it up onto her head. She glanced down at the flyer in her hand, hesitating before folding it into a small triangle and placing it in the pocket of her sweatshirt.

Figure skating didn't sound too bad. She needed something to take all this built up frustration and energy out on anyway. And how hard could it be?

* * *

The Computer and Information Sciences building would be the last place Jasper would ever want to set foot in. She could just feel the static from the computers in the place. Hell, the building itself could have been one huge computer. All she needed was to go into the wrong door and fuck up some fancy technology and bam- thousands of dollars she didn't have were flying out of her bank account. She just needed to hurry and finish handing out her flyers and she was home free, back to her Fire Protection building. Looking down at her flyers, she gives herself a boost of confidence, bending down and shoving them under doors even harder. She was extremely proud of them, so much so that she was actually glad that she hadn't contacted the Art building to help her. Not that they would have agreed though, they were a stingy bunch; always scowling and dragging their huge portfolios around, taking up the space in the cafeteria with their canvases. She herself scowled, just at the thought of them turning her request down. Not that it mattered now, she had these masterpieces to give out! Looking down at them again, she noticed she was actually almost out. The Computer Sciences building was the last on the list to deliver the flyers to and this hall was the final one in the building. Approaching the last door, Jasper flicked the last flyer under the door, dusting her hands free of the task and strolling out a door and down a flight of stairs. After all, the first meet was only two days away, she needed to get everything set up for her ladies in action.

* * *

"Welcome! May I help you with anything?" An attractive young woman sat behind a counter and didn't hesitate wasting a second before Peridot even got through the door of the sporting goods store.

Looking around, Peridot stuttered, "Uh.. y-yeah. Do you carry figure skating uh... equipment?"

She didn't even bother to learn the terminology for the stuff yet, and she was going to actually try and do this? Peridot mentally slapped herself for even thinking about getting herself into this. The woman behind the counter paid no mind to her ignorance, and instead stood up and nodded, heading to the back of the store. Instinctively, Peridot followed after her as she was lead to an entire area dedicated to ice skating sports.

The woman turned back to Peridot, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, "Are you just starting out?"

At this, Peridot nodded and explained that she honestly had no idea what she needed. The associate was more than happy to place much more than Peridot could carry in her outstretched arms. Including skates, both hard and soft guards, an extra pair of laces, and a bag to place it all in. Peridot staggered up to the cash register and proceeded to purchase everything in her hands, as well as a pair of gloves and leggings she had picked up along the way. She couldn't help but wince as each item beeped, preparing herself for the expected sky high total. Even through all the preparing, she still internally shed a small tear as she handed her card to the woman.

_'There goes the new processing chip I needed...'_

* * *

Stepping out of the Computer building, Jasper breathed a sigh of relief, thrilled to finally be out of that techno-hell. She quickly crossed the street, making a beeline for the sports super store just a couple of blocks away. Hopefully Tourmaline would be working today, she always slipped Jasper a pretty hefty discount coupon, and she had a lot of shit to buy today.

After a couple minutes of walking, Jasper reached for the door of the building. Just as she opens it, a small woman that hardly even came up to her torso, tried to walk through the same door. The woman carried a large brown bag in front of her face, impairing her vision, and ran bag first into Jasper's chest.

"Whoa there, Shorty, " Jasper places her hand effortlessly on Peridot's head, "need some help?"

She could see the way Peridot desperately tried to curve her short arms around the entire width of the bag, concerned she was going to drop everything she just bought. Sports equipment was no joke with her, everything needed to be treated with respect, not thrown on the floor.  
Peridot shook her head, her spiked bangs falling out of place. She made a small grunting noise as she pushed past Jasper's large body and ventured forward to find the bus stop she originally got on at.  
Jasper watched as Peridot awkwardly walked with her head to the side of the bag, trying to see in front of her now.

"Oh okay, now that you've already run into my abs, you want to look in front of you. I see." Jasper scoffed, and muttered under her breath. Rolling her eyes and forgetting about it, she entered the store and saw that, thankfully, Tourmaline was working the counter today. Jasper sighed and slouched herself onto the glass top of the showcase acting as a counter for the register. Tourmaline looked up from her phone and flung her braid behind her. She had watermelon colored hair and today it was braided to the side so that the two colors intertwined beautifully.

"Who got your panties all in a bunch this time?" She already knew by the look on Jasper's face that she was just a little agitated. Not steaming mad, she knows that look too- much more intense than this pitiful excuse for anger.

Jasper just propped her chin on her hand. "Some chick that just walked out with a shitload of stuff in front of her face, and then decides that after she runs into me, she'll stick her mug out and look where she's going," she stood a little straighter, "probably the least of my problems right now though."

As she was in charge of the "ladies league", so they called it, she was also in charge of getting them suited and equipped for the first meet.  
She smacked the counter, making Tourmaline jump, and flashed a toothy grin, "My main focus: I need a team-worth of jerseys, helmets, pucks, a whistle and a goal. I also need you." She looked at Tourmaline, plot in her eyes.

"Excuse me?" Tourmaline started to remove herself from behind the counter when she stopped, giving Jasper a skeptical look, "What exactly do you need me for?"

"You got the flyer at your dorm right? Yeah that's mine. We're setting up hockey teams and you'd be great for it."

"Jasper I don't think-" Tourmaline started a thought, but never got it out before Jasper ran in front of her, blocking her from getting back to the hockey equipment.

"No, you don't think, I think. And I think you'd be great for it. Besides, you only have to show up for the first meet in two days, and you don't have to stay if you hate it."

Jasper was basically pleading Tourmaline to be on the team; she didn't have many other friends at the college, mainly because the year had just started, but this was the best opportunity for both of them to meet new people. She just needed someone she knew there with her to keep her sane with the new recruits or she knew she would blow up in everyone's faces.  
Tourmaline sighed, leaning to one side and sweeping her braid back over her shoulder and then moving her hands to to slide over the crown of her head.

"...fine. I'll do it," crossing her arms and pushing past Jasper's block she headed back to the hockey section, "but don't say I never fucking did anything for you."

Grinning, Jasper darted behind her as-of-now teammate, so excited that she shook the bikes hanging from the racks above with her heavy footfalls.


End file.
